Arianna
by Brooke Marie123
Summary: Welcome to the world of Ari Meyer, a member of New Directions with a violent secret. AU after The Rocky Horror Glee Show. A spin-off with OCs, a co-ed Dalton, a new best friend for Blaine and Kurt, Klaine, and more— Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Glee belongs to Ryan Murphy. I can only wish that it belonged to me...**

"Alright, class, get with a partner and really keep the purpose of the assignment in mind as you select a song. Get to work!" Mr. Schue instructed the group of thirteen teenagers. They immediately began breaking off into pairs, anxiously discussing songs that would reflect friendship, the topic Mr. Schue had scribbled onto the white board.

Ari glanced around, feeling slightly disappointed to see that Mercedes and Tina had already paired off with each other. However, the let-down didn't last as she turned to Kurt, who was making eye contact with her expectantly. Ari got up and sat next to him, in the seat Santana had previously occupied before she had moved to sit closer to Brittany.

Ari and Kurt immediately launched into song selections, and eventually decided on "Friends" by Elton John. She was glad to be Kurt's partner for this assignment. It felt to Ari that they needed a reminder of the friendship they had last year. Their friendship had recently tilted downward, with the both of them seemingly powerless to stop it. It wasn't that they were fighting. Kurt and Ari hardly hung out anymore, nor did they speak as often. They were both busy- Kurt with his father recovering from a horrifying heart-attack, and Ari with her boyfriend, who insisted they spent copious amounts of time in each others presence. But to Ari, their recent disconnection seemed deeper than just the hectic events and people in their lives.

It all started when Kurt learned his father was in the hospital, on the fine line between life and death. The Glee Club had attempted to raise his spirits, letting him know that they, along with God, would always be there for him. Kurt appreciated their loyalty; however, he had let them know that God's loyalty meant little to him. Ari had tried, along with Quinn and Mercedes, to convince him otherwise. Ari was never an extremely religious person, although she knew that believing in God meant that her parents were up there, watching over her. Kurt had been obviously annoyed at their pressing, especially when Ari, Rachel, Mercedes and Quinn had traveled to the hospital to pray for Burt Hummel. Ever since then, Ari felt that she and Kurt's friendship was…off. And she hated it. She knew he needed her, just as she needed him. They had always been there for each other—if Ari was slushied for being a quiet, awkward Glee loser, Kurt was always there to dry her off. Whenever the low-life Dave Karofsky shoved Kurt roughly into a locker, Ari had always been there, with a hand reaching out to help him up.

But now things were complicated. Ari had a feeling that there was a lot that she didn't know about the extent of Kurt's bullying. After all, Kurt hardly spoke to anyone about it. If Ari hadn't been so…tied down…by her boyfriend, she would gladly offer a listening ear, or a shoulder to cry on. But Ari was shutting herself off in front of Kurt, too. There was a _lot _he didn't know about the extent of her relationship issues. Like the fact that she was wearing an insane amount of foundation to hide the dark bruise on her left cheek. Kurt didn't need to know that. He had his own issues. For now, it seemed best to Ari to keep them separated. Thus, every day she found herself growing more and more separated from her former best friend.

Ari felt herself becoming more certain that the week's assignment was going to fix a lot of things for her and Kurt towards the end of practice. They were now talking, for one; something they hadn't done a lot of recently. She realized how much she missed Kurt and his expert fashion advice, his upscale and often shocking style of clothing that was so uniquely _Kurt_. Ari decided that she absolutely hated the distance between them. Paul, her boyfriend, had specifically requested that they spend the majority of their time together. But would he really get pissed off if she gave a _little_ of her attention to her old friend?

Ari loved Paul, she truly did. But his over protectiveness lately was starting to bother her. And _hurt _her. She knew that most guys didn't hit their girlfriends. But Paul was her first boyfriend, the first guy to pay any amount of attention to her. He wanted them to be together forever, and that meant a lot to her. She knew high school relationships typically didn't last. The fact that Paul was desperate for theirs to work out made her understand why he got upset if she waved to a Glee guy in the hallway. Of course, she would never, _ever _cheat on Paul. Not if her life depended on it. But Paul didn't necessarily know that, and he got nervous about it sometimes. And people did stupid things when they were nervous. Even though Ari knew it was wrong, it was a sacrifice she had always been willing to make, from early on in their relationship. But now, considering that so much time had gone by since they started dating, Ari was wondering when he _would_ start trusting her. He was really starting to, and Ari hated to admit it, even in her mind, scare her. She often felt as if her control was limited, as if even if she did desire to end things with Paul, it would be more complicated than an average break up. Paul did have a tendency to make things complicated.

Ari hated thinking about Paul when he was angry. It was easier to just pretend that he didn't do it. And that's what Ari did, every day. After all, it was difficult to admit something to someone when she could hardly admit it to herself. The worst part was that she had to hide it from everyone, including Kurt. She wanted to be able to be friends with him, even if she had to keep up a façade of sorts.

Surely, it wouldn't hurt to take advantage of the control that she _did _have, and invite Kurt to the Lima Bean with her on Saturday morning? Their friendship needed a serious pick-me-up, and coffee was the best answer.

Mr. Schue dismissed them all, and Ari and Kurt discussed their plans for the duet they would perform together.

"The song is absolutely _perfect_ for both of our voices," Kurt chattered as they made their way down the hallway towards McKinley's front entrance, slipping their coats on.

"It is," Ari agreed, thinking of how well their soprano voices would harmonize together. "It's been a while since we've sang together," She remarked, trying to sound casual. She and Kurt used to love getting together for sleepovers, belting out the sweet lyrics written of Celine Dion or Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth at extremely late hours of the night. Ari couldn't recall the last time she's spent the night at the Hummel's.

Kurt frowned. "You're right, it has been. Honestly, Ari, I feel like I've hardly seen you at all lately."

She made eye contact with him as they walked. "…Are you doing okay? I mean…I know I've been missing a lot recently, and I've heard that Karofsky's been giving you a pretty hard time lately."

Kurt smiled sadly, shrugging. "It's not the end of the world."

"Kurt," Ari pressed, taking the chance to get him to open up to me. "This is serious. You're my best friend, and no matter what's been going on with us, I don't want you _ever_ getting hurt. I really think you should tell Figgins about this."

Kurt frowned again. "He wouldn't be able to do much. It's my word against Karofsky's. The hamhock picks great times to shove me around, mostly right before class when there's hardly anyone in the halls.

Ari sighed. "Kurt, you deserve so much more than this. I think you're settling."

Now he laughed. "_Me_, settling? Ari, the very second I graduate I'm _out_ of this cow town. And speaking of settling," he began, and Ari felt her heart sink as she realized this was his subtle way of changing the subject. "Are you and Paul still going out? How long has it been now, like, a year?"

She nodded. "Eleven months, to be exact. And what do you mean, settling?" Ari had a feeling she knew where this was going. Kurt had never approved of her dating Paul, mainly because Paul didn't have…the best reputation prior to asking her out. He used to like to hook up with girls and never speak to them again. A bit like Noah Puckerman, really.

As a helpless little freshman, Ari had sat next to Paul in their English class, blushing as he shamelessly flirted with her. She knew that he had a sketchy history with girls, but when he asked her to see a movie with him, she could hardly say no to his perfect green eyes and charming, crooked smile. She was nervous as hell, of course, having only muttered two words to him in her life, but he made her feel—surprisingly—_comfortable_ on their first date. It was like every girl in the world dreamed their first date to be—he and his dad picked her up (Paul couldn't drive yet) and Paul held the door open for her. He bought her ticket and popcorn. Casually draped his arm around her towards the middle of the movie…the whole nine yards. Think of every first date cliché, and it took place in Ari's. And Paul treated her differently than he treated the other girls he had…well, "dated". She became his girlfriend, because he asked her out after their second date. It was great to feel important…popular, almost. After all, she, the little Glee nerd, was dating one of the most popular, beautiful jocks at McKinley. Ari had been drowning in infatuation. Paul Adamson had hooked her, and she was his.

"Just…I don't know. He doesn't seem…right for you," Kurt said, with an apologetic tone to his voice. "You're just so fun and silly when you're with us," he continued, referring to the Glee club. And that was true, she was. "But with him…you don't have that same look in your eyes. I don't know…maybe I'm reading too much into it."

Ari tried to keep her tone friendly, but instinctively got defensive. "You are. Paul and I are…" she struggled to find the best word. "_So_ happy together. He loves me and I love him."

Kurt still looked uneasy. "If you're sure…If you ever want to talk, though, you know I'm always there for you, right?"

Ari smiled, wrapping both of her arms around Kurt's shoulders as they walked. "I know." She paused. She really did love Kurt. He was one of the greatest friends she would ever have. She hated to think she was losing him. "Kurt?"

"Yeah, honey?" He wrapped his arm around her, too.

Ari felt herself growing shy. "I…I miss you."

Kurt stopped walking, turning to face her with an unexplainable look on his face. It was a combination of love, warmth and sadness. He pulled her against his chest into a tight hug. "I miss you, too. Can you come over? I haven't had my Arianna Meyer fill in quite some time, and I'm about to go into withdrawal."

Ari laughed at his exaggeration, but then regretfully shook her head. "I can't. I'm going over to Paul's. He's actually waiting for me now…" She trailed off, suddenly aware of the fact that Paul wouldn't be pleased that she was running late. She pulled out of Kurt's embrace with a sad smile. "But we need to hang, as soon as humanely possible. Lima Bean at 9:00 on Saturday?"

Kurt nodded eagerly. "Done."

They continued walking until we reached the school's main entrance. Ari could see Paul's black Dodge Stratus in the parking lot, with Paul's silhouette visible in the front seat. She turned to face Kurt before she ventured out into the cold, windy outside.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ari promised him, giving him a warm smile. She was glad that things were now cleared up between the two of them. "I can't wait to start practicing our song!"

"Same here," Kurt remarked enthusiastically. "Tell Paul I said, er, hi," he then said, his heart not really in the greeting he wanted Ari to pass along.

"I will. Bye, Kurt."

"See you later, Ari!"

Ari stepped outside of the building, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck as she quickly ran up to Paul's car, sliding into the passenger seat. She looked at his perfect face for a few minutes, noticing that his handsome features were set into an angry scowl.

"…Hi," Ari said weakly. "Sorry."

Paul turned to face her, an annoyed fire in his eyes. "I was about to go in there to look for you," he growled, making Ari shiver. "Did you expect me to just sit like an idiot in here all freakin' night?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, Paul. I…lost track of time."

"Who were you with?"

"Paul…"

"Who were you with?" He spat again, angrily.

"J-just Kurt," She stammered.

"Are you sure?"

Ari resisted the urge to role her eyes. It was something she had to resist often in front of Paul, for fear that she would be smacked in the eye for daring to role it. "I'm sure," She insisted as sincerely as she could.

Paul didn't look satisfied, but then again he never did when he accused her of disloyalty. Ari felt her anger boil, feeling a sense of déjà-vu wash over her. "Paul, who else would I be with? You already make sure I don't text Finn, Mike, or any of them, I hardly talk to any of the other guys in Glee because you don't like me to…how else can I prove to you that I'm not cheating on you?"

"Shit, I dunno, Ari. Maybe if you got your ass into the car at the time I _tell you_ to come, I wouldn't have a reason to think that!" He bellowed.

"I was late, I'm sorry, okay?" She argued back. The happiness she had felt in gaining Kurt's friendship back was quickly disappearing. She hadn't done anything wrong! "Just because you think I'm some floozy…"

Paul gripped Ari's shoulder much too tightly. It hurt her, even with the padding of her peacoat. She winced, trying to shrug out of his grip. He only tightened it. "You wanna say that again?"

Ari shook her head, feeling tears spring into her eyes because of the pain. "N-no."

Paul smiled, but did not let go. "I didn't think so. I love you, got that? And you love me. Next time, when I ask you to do something really, _really_ easy….you better do it."

He loosened his grip, leaned down and kissed her shoulder softly. She was certain there were bruises beginning to form in the very place he had just kissed.

He then started the car and pulled out of the parking space. "So how was Glee?" He asked casually, as if nothing had happened.

Ari took a deep breath, gathering herself before she answered. "Fine," I stated. This was the customary answer she always gave him. She had learned early on that if she started to ramble about the chaos that happened in glee, Paul got bored almost instantly. However, she admired him for trying to make it look like he was interested. Non-glee members typically didn't give a crap.

"Good."

Paul then started to talk about the upcoming football game that was the next day, Friday. He didn't ask Ari if she was coming—he simply expected her to. Ari herself was one of the least athletic people she had ever met in her life. But she had gone to every game Paul had ever played in—no matter how much homework she had—because, simply, she loved him.

Ari allowed herself to zone out for the rest of the car ride, knowing Paul would be satisfied with her seemingly interested smiles and nods throughout the one-sided conversation. He eventually pulled up the driveway of the small orphanage where Ari lived.

Coach Sylvester, whom Ari often passed in the hallways of McKinley, not-so-affectionately called her 'Annie' when she greeted her with her special way of greeting students, which was shouting at them horrifyingly to get out of her way. Ari couldn't decide if this was because the names _Ari_ and _Annie_ sounded similar, or if it was because Coach Sylvester was referring to the orphan, Annie. Ari was blessed with a spectacular singing voice, and often joked around with Kurt that the next time Coach Sylvester called her that, she would just burst into "Tomorrow" or "It's a Hard-Knock Life" just to make the nickname even more ironic. But honestly, Ari didn't love living at the orphanage. Sure, the adults, or caretakers, as they called themselves, were nice enough. But it wasn't a family in any sense of the word. Ari had never experienced what a true family was like. She lost her parents in a car accident when she was one, and had been in and out of foster homes ever since. She had never settled with a foster family for various circumstances, whether it was financial reasons, not getting along with the other siblings…the list went on. The main part for Ari was that she hated being expected to love a group of people and consider them family when she was really just felt like a guest in their home. She preferred living at the orphanage, even if it was a small, slightly depressing one in Lima, Ohio.

Paul leaned closer to her for the expected kiss they shared every time Ari exited the car. She smiled, loving _this _part of our relationship. Sometimes, it made all of his violent anger seem like it didn't exist.

Ari pressed her lips against Paul's, and he kissed her back eagerly, tangling his hand in her brown curls. After a few minutes, they pulled apart, Paul with an impish grin on his face.

"See you tomorrow, baby," he murmured, almost too quiet for Ari to hear. She wordlessly got out of the car, a small smile still on her face.

As she began walking towards the front door, she couldn't help but wonder if this was how her life was supposed to be. She loved Paul. More than she loved herself. Wouldn't that mean they would last?

Or was she degrading herself? She knew that if she were to tell Quinn or Mercedes about the details of her relationship, like the blue and purple bruise she was secretly hiding on her cheek, they would insist she break up with Paul instantly. But it seemed…so impossible. Leaving Paul seemed even scarier than dating him. And she loved Paul. She did….didn't she?

Ari frowned as she realized how many times she had to remind herself that she did, in fact, love her own boyfriend. Was that normal? No, no it wasn't. She almost wished that somebody would just _know_ about her situation without her having to tell them. But she hid her secrets—the visible and invisible ones—far too well. Puck had inquired about a black eye once, which Ari had immediately brushed off, saying one of the kids at the orphanage accidentally hit her with a ball while playing. Tina noticed bruises polka dotting her rib cage while they were changing once during gym, and Ari had insisted she had fallen down the stairs.

Why did she keep lying? Why couldn't she trust her best friends in the entire world, the members of New Directions? Sure, trusting had never come easy to her, considering her rough past with finding a place to belong. But this seemed obvious. She _should _tell somebody—Kurt, Mercedes, _Mr. Schuester_, even—that Paul hit her. A lot.

But Paul had given a lot up for her. His reputation undoubtedly had taken a toll because of her social status…a member of the 'homo-explosion' as Karofsky and Azimio had so lovingly nicknamed the Glee club. He was willing to spend all of his time with her…and only asked for one thing in return. Loyalty. Complete, undying loyalty. Paul had trust issues, and as his girlfriend, Ari had to accept that about him.

Ari decided, as she walked into the front door of the orphanage, that keeping the burden to herself was ideal. The less trouble she could cause, the better. The less pain she could cause for Paul, the better.

The secrets weighing down her heart where there to stay. Because in the end…she truly did love Paul. Or so she thought.

**A/N: Hi! I'm Brooke Marie. This is my first Klaine fanfic...even thought the main character is an OC. Don't fret! There WILL be plenty of Klaine in this. I love them just as much as the next fangirl. But keep in mind that this story will mainly revolve around Ari. This is also pretty angsty towards the beginning, but I promise you it does get happier! Give Ari some time to get her act together. Please review! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. But it would be so cool if I did!**

_Meet me at my locker, baby._

_-Paul_

That was the message Ari read when she subtly pulled her cell phone out of her pocket when she felt it vibrate. Smiling to herself, she raised her hand, and asked Ms. Castle if she could go to the restroom.

She eagerly made her way out of the classroom, loving the wave of anticipation that washed over her as she headed towards the direction of Paul's locker. Ari loved it when Paul did spontaneous things like this—such as initiating romantic, ten minute periods of kissing when they were supposed to be in class. Ari recognized that lying to the teacher, claiming to be going to the bathroom wasn't that badass of her, but she couldn't help but feel a little rebellious.

Ari saw Paul casually leaning against his locker, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. It was moments like this that reminded Ari of why she was dating Paul—he was beautiful. And romantic, when he wanted to be. He grinned widely as he made eye contact with her, and she swiftly made her way into his arms. Paul pulled her against him tightly and leaned down to kiss her. She gasped at the roughness of his lips crashing onto hers, but did not pull away. She let him kiss her, and let herself get lost in the moment. But she couldn't completely zone out, as a thought in the back of her mind was distracting her.

Was this really the same guy that had roughly put his hand on her small frame yesterday, bruising her? No, certainly it wasn't. Surely he was just having a bad day yesterday. Today was obviously going to be better, considering he had gone out of his way to ditch class to make out with her. Maybe he would even apologize for what he did. Paul did that sometimes, and those occasions made Ari see that he truly wasn't a bad person, just a flawed one. Ari had flaws, too, and she knew it. She was quiet, shy and awkward, and she had issues with opening up to people. Well, obviously. But she was able to do that with Paul. He was one of the first people at school she ever told about her parent's horrible car accident. She had showed him the scar on the lower side of her head, the proof that she had survived the wreck when she was a baby. Paul, on good days, listened to her complaints about how she wanted to feel _normal_, with a real house, a real mom and dad, and real siblings. Ari had trusted Paul with that information. He knew everything.

Although, that didn't mean Paul wouldn't use the information against her on his bad days. If he was complaining to her how his mother had grounded him for failing his algebra test, Ari would try to offer some advice for comfort. And Paul would brush her off, claiming that it would be impossible for her to understand due to her lack of parents. Those comments had always stung.

But that was just another one of Paul's flaws. One that she had accepted for quite a long time. Among many others.

"I've missed you today," Paul murmured between kisses, his hand tangling into her hair.

"I saw you this morning," Ari reminded him. He had driven her to school and walked her to her first class, as he did every morning.

"Too long…" he breathed, his lips traveling to her neck.

Ari sighed, and pushed the uncertain thoughts away and forced herself to focus on the moment. She realized it wasn't as fun and exhilarating as it had seemed as she had been walking down the hallway, alone, to meet him. Now she had a sudden desire to get back to class.

Ari's uneasiness and Paul's kissing was interrupted by a sudden _buzz_ coming from Ari's front pocket. Paul sighed angrily, annoyed at whoever had dared to text Ari and ruin their make-out session. With asking permission, Paul pulled her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open, reading the text.

"Paul…" Ari muttered, annoyed at her invasion of privacy, but stopped complaining the moment she saw the fire in Paul's eyes.

"I thought I told you not to text Hudson. Or _any_ of them," Paul accused flatly; referring to the guys Ari was friends with in glee. Keyword: _friends._

"I-I didn't text him," She stammered, trying to figure out why Finn would have texted her. Ari never responded to any of the glee guy's texts, to show Paul that she wasn't interested in anybody but _him_. It had been Paul who insisted that she do that from early on in their relationship.

Paul scowled at her, shoving the front of the phone in her face so she could read the text.

_Just wanted to remind you that Glee's gonna run a bit late today because of the friendship song performances. Can't wait to hear yours! -Finn _

"Paul, he was just reminding me…it's not a big deal," Ari insisted, but Paul didn't seem to be having any of it.

"You're trying to tell me that you couldn't remember that on your own? Hudson's probably got a thing for you, and _you're_ leading him on!" Paul yelled, much too loudly for the quiet, empty hallway. His furious accusation echoed for a moment or two.

"Paul, be quiet! People will hear you!" Ari whispered frantically. "Finn's dating Rachel Berry…he and I are just friends!"

"Stop _lying_," Paul growled, and proceeded to shove Ari into his own locker. Ari winced as her face slammed into the cold metal, hitting the spot where a previous bruise had recently faded.

"Paul…!" She exclaimed, completely surprised at how things had turned violent so quickly. It was…faster than usual. Usually they argued for a few minutes before he became physical.

Paul silenced her by sending his fist flying into her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She gasped in pain, doubling over and clutching her middle. Ari tried desperately to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want to give Paul that satisfaction.

Paul put his hands on her shoulders and forced her upwards, making her look straight into his enraged, forceful eyes. After a moment, his expression changed drastically. "I don't want you being friends with him," he murmured, his voice suddenly much softer. It scared her. "I don't want anyone stealing you away from me."

He then kissed her, very lightly, so softly that she could hardly feel it. "I love you."

Ari swallowed the lump in her throat. "I love you, too." Why had she said that? She didn't know. Perhaps in fear of being hit again if she didn't respond.

Paul smiled, his breathless face changing from furious to warm in a flash. "I'll see you after school, baby."

He left.

Ari stood there, silently, motionlessly, and emotionlessly. She blinked once, and then once more, willing the tears to go away. After a moment, she walked to the nearest girl's bathroom, and stepped in front of the mirror. Ari was surprised by her own face, which was sunken with sadness. Not anger, not annoyance. Ari was realizing that this needed to end. Paul wasn't worth this look on her face, no matter how many times she tried to convince herself that he was. She had to end things with him. She had to close this chapter of her life, and start a new one.

But she didn't know how.

Aggravated that she didn't have her makeup bag with her, Ari figured that the most she could do was pray that the red mark now starting to appear on her cheek wasn't too visibly obvious, and that nobody would notice. She would be able to put makeup over it during the passing period when she had her backpack. There was literally nothing she could do now. She would have to go to class, listen to Ms. Castle, the astronomy teacher, drawl on about the creation of stars and elements of a black hole. A black hole, Ari could relate to. She felt as if she was falling through one right now, with no one there to pull her out.

At Glee club that day, Ari's worries were filed away in her mind, to be saved for later. That's what New Directions did to her—make her feel as if she had not a care in the world. After all, it was hard to feel sad or scared when Artie and Puck obnoxiously bellowed out "You've Got a Friend in Me" at the top of their lungs.

Ari leaned into Kurt, hardly able to sit up straight in her chair from laughing. She tried to ignore the dull ache in her rib cage that came with each laugh from where Paul had punched her earlier that day. Kurt and Ari were to perform next, and they were confident and ready to sing.

The two of them had indeed gone out for coffee that previous Saturday, and had thourghly enjoyed being together again. Paul hadn't had an issue with Ari going, because he had football practice that morning anyway. Ari's theory of Paul's willingness to let her hang out with Kurt was that Kurt was openly gay, and the chances of her having an affair with him where small. It was a stupid reason to set Ari free, but it was probably the reason nonetheless. The fact that Ari had been temporarily Paul-stress-free had been enlightening and had increased her happiness as she spent much-needed time with her best friend. They had laughed and gossiped, just like they used to. Afterwards, Kurt had driven her back to his house where they had practiced their song until they were absolutely sick of it.

"Very good, guys!" Mr. Schue praised, clapping along with everyone else. "That was fantastic. Congratulations. Alright, so who's next? Kurt? Ari?"

They stood up, walking to stand in the middle of the choir room and facing their fellow show choir members.

"Ari and I will be singing 'Friends' by Elton John," Kurt told everyone. He then nodded at Brad, who began playing the piano.

Ari began with the first two verses.

_I hope the day will be a lighter highway_

_For friends are found on every road_

Kurt sang the next two, in his perfectly clear, high voice.

_Can you ever think of any better way_

_For the lost and weary travelers to go?_

Ari joined in, their voices blending together beautifully, as usual.

_Making friends for the world to see_

_Let the people know you got what you need_

_With a friend at hand you will see the light_

_If your friends are there then everything's alright_

They continued singing the rest of the song, Kurt at one point reaching out and gripping Ari's hand tightly, swinging it back and forth between them happily. They finished the last lyric of the song together.

_If your friends are there then everything's all right_

The glee club immediately started applauding, including Rachel, despite often viewing Kurt and Ari as her biggest competitive threats. Kurt did a few dramatic, goofy looking curtsies and Ari just laughed, eventually pulling him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around Ari tightly, and Ari tried not to wince at the pressure placed on the spot on her ribcage that was starting to bruise. Luckily, Kurt didn't seem to notice.

The uncomfortable pain that had interrupted Ari's moment of peaceful bliss with her friends further reminded her of everything she was keeping from them. Here she was, standing up in front of the glee club, where she could easily burst into confessions of what had been happening to her over the past eleven months. But she couldn't. Fear was holding her back, and it was too strong for her to break through it.

The song she and Kurt had chosen was a perfect description of the two of them…except for the last few lines.

_With a friend at hand you will see the light_

_If your friends are there then everything's all right_

Ari's friends _were_ there. But everything was most definitely not all right. It was only a matter of time before that fact would come bursting out of Ari, and Ari would be powerless to stop it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Glee...**

"All right, girls. I have a wide range of ideas that will, of course, demand _me_ as the focus of our performance and will undoubtedly win us this competition," Rachel rambled anxiously as she pulled a folded piece of paper from her cardigan pocket. "I always keep an emergency list of songs handy as an inevitable necessity," She explained.

Ari zoned out as Rachel blabbered on about the song the girls would perform at the end of the week. She was more focused on feeling bad for Kurt, whose admittance in the girls' group had been denied by Mr. Schue. Ari wondered how many more times Kurt would be rejected or put down before he cracked. Although as of recent, Kurt didn't exactly tell her _everything, _she had an idea of how hard it was to be the only openly gay guy in school. He was the target of the hatred of so many closed-minded students, simply for being himself. Ari, for one, greatly admired Kurt for his bravery to wear kilts and bowties in the presence of homophobic, intolerable teenagers every single day. She was jealous of his willingness to speak his mind and state his beliefs. If Ari had half of the strength Kurt had, she knew for a fact that she wouldn't be wearing a long-sleeved shirt today for the sole purpose of covering a new bruise from Paul.

But Kurt's strength was crumbling, and Ari could tell. Hugs and simple words of comfort were all she had to offer every time he was shoved into the lockers during passing period. Kurt needed so much more. And Ari felt as she were plummeting downwards, headfirst, into a world of weakness every single time Paul put his hands on her or called her a slut for talking to another guy. How could she be there for Kurt in his time of need when simply helping _herself_ was out of her reach?

Ari was snapped out of her thoughts as the girls stood up to begin choreographing the performance. They had the entire choir room to practice, because Mr. Schue had put the boys in an empty classroom for the sake of competition. Ari supposed Rachel had picked a song, but had not paid enough attention to the planning to know what it was. She decided to go with the flow, and hope that the dancing didn't involve too much arm movement. Her arms were so sore.

"Hey, Ari?"

Ari turned to face Quinn, who was looking at her with a concerned expression. "Are you feeling okay? You looked completely spaced out during Susie-talks-a-lot's rambling," she remarked in a hushed voice, as not to disturb Rachel's bossy instructions they were supposed to be paying attention to.

Crap. Quinn had noticed. Quinn and Ari had always been friends—not close friends, like she and Kurt, but had the occasional sleepover and shopping trips. Ari had been supportive when Quinn was pregnant the year before, but of course, that had been before Paul's abuse had reached a boiling point. She had been able to balance being a good, stable friend with getting a black eye or two every once in a while. And now, Quinn was starting to see the imbalance that was starting to pull Ari down inside.

" Yeah, I'm fine," Ari insisted in the clearest voice she could. Quinn's question had caught her off-guard, and it was times like these when Ari realized she had a _chance. _A chance for somebody to know what Paul was doing to her. It could all end…

"I'm just tired," Ari said instead. "I didn't sleep very well last night."

Quinn knit her eyebrows, still seeming unsure. "You've just been…so quiet, lately. You seem kind of sad. Is there anything I can do?"

Even if Ari did tell her about Paul, _was _there anything she could do? "No," Ari said, her whisper sounding weak.

"_Ladies_!" Rachel practically shrieked, her eyes livid. "Let's all stay on track, shall we?" Her voice was borderline hysterical.

Resisting the urge to role her eyes and remind Rachel that at no point in time did someone appoint her dictator of the girl's group, Ari turned her attention back to the short, annoying brown haired girl.

After glee club, Ari went to her locker to collect her books. As she tossed her heavy textbooks into her backpack, she noticed Quinn coming out of the choir room, smile at her, and then proceed down the hallway to her own locker.

Ari wondered if she would have revealed her secret to Quinn had Rachel not shushed them during practice. The feeling that she should have spoken had been so strong in that moment, and Rachel had ruined it. Why did Rachel Berry have to be such an obnoxious control freak anyway? Sometimes Ari found herself liking Rachel for her determined attitude and unbelievable talent, but the very fact that Rachel had quieted her and Quinn made her question all of those times. If only Rachel knew what she had silenced…

No. Rachel hadn't silenced anything. It had been Ari who had silenced herself, as she did every second of every day. She had a million opportunities to tell someone, to make her voice heard. Rachel wasn't the muzzle that kept Ari's mouth restricted from speech. It was Ari's own weakness.

She needed to think about something else. She needed a distraction.

She needed Kurt.

Ari shakily slammed her locker shut and made her way down the hallway, only to find that Kurt wasn't at his locker. Puck, however, strode right past her, and she decided that this was her chance to investigate.

"Hey, Puck!" Ari called through the crowded hallway.

At the sound of his name, Puck turned around. "'Sup, Oscar Meyer Weiner?" Puck greeted her, using the stupid nickname he made for her last year.

"Where's Kurt?"

"Oh, he went down to Westerville a little while ago. To go spy on the Weevils." Puck explained.

A confused expression took over Ari's features. "The Weevils…._oh, _you mean the Warblers?" She laughed at Puck's mispronunciation of the name of Dalton Academy's show choir.

"Yeah, them. I dunno, I think he got a little pissed off when we told him he couldn't design the costumes for our performance. It may or may not have been my fault…I told him to go check them out. " Puck had the decency to look regretful.

Ari frowned, wondering why Kurt would want to drive a whole few hours away. "Alright…well…thanks, Puck. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya, Ari."

Puck walked away just in time for Ari to see Paul, peering at her through the wave of people flooding the hallway. He did not look happy. Paul glared at Ari from afar. Sensing his rage and almost feeling the blows she would soon receive to her face, she made her way down the hall.

"Hi, Paul," Ari remarked, trying to keep her trembling voice even. "How was your day?"

"I'd rather ask you how _yours_ was," Paul growled under his breath, quietly enough so it wouldn't be heard over the roar of student's voices. "Having a nice chat with Puckerman over there?"

"I-I was just asking him where Kurt was."

"You're too stupid to find him yourself?"

Ari swallowed. "No, Paul…I…there's a boys versus girls competition…they were in another classroom-" She started to explain the situation, but was silenced by Paul's hand wrapping tightly around her wrist and promptly pulling her towards the front entrance of McKinley.

Paul pulled her into the parking lot and shoved her roughly into his car, parked conveniently in the back of the lot.

With each sweeping slap to her face, Ari was reminded more and more that this was not Rachel's fault. No, Rachel would never want this for her. And Rachel wasn't the reason her secret remained behind her closed lips. No, the fault was entirely her own.

Ari and Kurt sat at a table alone the next day. Ari played with her food more than she ate it, for her jaw still hurt from the previous day's punishment from Paul. She didn't feel like eating anyway. She was working extremely hard to appear interested in what Kurt was talking about, but she could not honestly say she knew what he was saying. Paying attention had become an extra effort for Ari recently, and she preferred to spend it during class rather than listening to her friends. She was able to pick out bits and pieces from Kurt's story such as '_so talented_', '_they're all very nice_' and '_he bought me coffee and talked to me_.' Ari simply smiled and nodded in the times she deemed appropriate, but it wasn't long until Kurt noticed her façade.

"Ari, are you listening to anything I'm saying?" Kurt questioned her. He sounded curious rather than angry.

Ari sighed. "Yes, Kurt. Sorry…I didn't sleep much last night. You were talking about…coffee?"

Kurt automatically launched back into his story. "Right. So after they sang a _fantastic _rendition of _Teenage Dream, _Blaine and two of his friends brought me into the Senior Commons for some coffee. Ari, you wouldn't believe how beautiful that school is. The entire place is an architectural work of art. Anyway…I was afraid, at first. I thought they were angry at me for spying. But…they weren't. They realized I wasn't a spy and promised me they wouldn't beat me up. Dalton has a zero-tolerance policy. Everyone is treated the same. I got to talking to Blaine and he told me he was gay. Just…plain and simple. He didn't seem nervous about telling me or anything. It was…it was amazing."

Ari was paying full attention now. She couldn't ignore Kurt's sparkling eyes and lit up face as he spoke of the prep school so fondly.

"I told Blaine about Karofsky…and how he's been making my life hell for the past few months. And Blaine…completely got it. He just understood so perfectly. He told me to stand up for myself…to have courage. To call out Karofsky on the bullying. Ari…he made me feel like I could do anything."

She swallowed, relief flooding inside her for her best friend. Finally, someone was here to fill in the places Ari couldn't for Kurt. With the relief came jealousy that Kurt had someone to talk to who understood, and that Kurt was open about his feelings. Everything Ari wished she had and more.

"That's—that's great, Kurt. I'm so happy for you."

Kurt smiled widely, a rare occurrence for him. "Thanks, honey. Blaine just showed me…that I'm worth standing up for, you know?"

Ari forced a smile on her face. "You are. You're….you're so strong, Kurt. I wish I could be as strong as you." Then, fearing that tears might spill out her eyes and roll down her cheeks, Ari stood up and hugged Kurt tightly.

Kurt returned the hug, kissing the side of her head. "I want you to meet him, Ari. You'd love him."

"It sounds like you already do," Ari teased, trying to ease her own tension. She pulled out of Kurt's arms.

Kurt blushed a deep red. "No, it isn't like that. I mean, he is _extremely _attractive…but…I've got other things to focus on right now. Besides, I'm just glad he's there for me right now. I need a friend like him."

The stab of jealousy pained Ari like nothing ever had before.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Glee is not under my ownership.**

After glee club that day, Ari and Kurt walked down the hallway towards the front entrance, where they would then go their separate ways. Kurt to his shiny, black Navigator, and Ari to Paul in his Dodge Stratus.

Kurt remained in his cheery mood from the previous day, still glowing with delight from meeting Blaine. Ari's jealousy aside, she was glad that Kurt now had someone to directly relate to. She knew that the begrudging feelings she had were selfish, because Kurt was getting the help he truly needed. But Ari couldn't help but feel completely useless—her boyfriend constantly reminded her that she wasn't good enough for him, Rachel could easily carry the glee club with or without her, and now Kurt had found someone else to vent to. Which would probably lead to a replacement for coffee dates, shopping trips and sleepovers. Blaine Anderson, Kurt's savior and hero, was bringing out an ugly side of Ari that she wished she didn't have. Or perhaps, it was making her realize the truth of her worthlessness.

Timed practically perfectly, Kurt's phone buzzed, and he paused his confident stride to read his new text. Ari shamelessly looked over the screen to read it, knowing Kurt wouldn't mind.

**To: Kurt Hummel **

**From: Blaine Anderson**

**Courage.**

Ari didn't even have a chance to scoff at the words on the screen. Just as quickly as she had looked at the text, the phone was shoved out of Kurt's hands, and Kurt was thrown into the lockers against the wall. As soon as Ari got over her initial shock, she saw that it had been Dave Karofsky who had just shoved Kurt, who was now glaring at Kurt as he spun around and stomped away. Turning her attention towards Kurt, who was slumped on the floor with a furious expression across his pale features, Ari quickly stepped towards him and offered him her hand. Fuming, he ignored her hand and stood up by himself, his angry blue eyes now mixed with something else—determination. Without a word towards Ari and not even bothering to pick up his cell phone, he advanced in the same direction Karofsky had gone, shouting after him.

Bending down quickly to pick up Kurt's phone, Ari raced after Kurt, not liking where this was going.

"Kurt! What are you doing?" She yelled, jogging to keep up with Kurt's swift pace.

"What I should have done the first time that ham hock called me a fag," Kurt spat, quickening his stride. I realized Kurt was heading in the direction of the boy's locker room, where Karofsky had presumably gone to get ready for football practice. I shuddered, not wanting Kurt to go anywhere near him.

"No, Kurt! Don't do this! You're going to get hurt," Ari pleaded, latching her fingers around his arm in her weak attempt to hold him back.

He stopped walking and stared at Ari, the determined look on his face telling her that there was nothing she could do to stop him. "It doesn't matter what he does to me, Ari." Kurt explained, his usually soft voice dripping with hate. "He can hit me all that he wants. But he has to know that he can't break me. Because I won't let him. Not anymore."

"Kurt-" Ari stammered as Kurt's arms slipped from her fingers. "Kurt, wait!"

She ran after him until they were both facing the entrance to the boy's locker room.

"Stay out here," Kurt demanded. "I'll be fine. Don't get involved, whatever you do. Okay, Ari?"

Recognizing the sense of defeat coursing through her, she nodded.

Kurt swung open the door and went inside.

Ari listened to the muffled argument through the other side of the door, Kurt's cell phone gripped in her hand in case the situation turned too violent and the police needed to get involved. Kurt had never stood up to Karofsky before, and she didn't know what would happen.

"What the hell?" Kurt yelled as soon as he entered the locker room.

"Girl's locker room is next door," Karofsky growled.

"What is your problem?"

"S'cuse me?"

"What are you so scared of?"

"Besides you sneakin' in here to peek at my junk?"

"Oh, yeah, every straight guy's nightmare, that all us gays are secretly out to molest and convert you," Kurt fumed, and I could hear the eye roll behind his words. "Well guess what, ham hock? You're _not_ my type."

"That right?" Karofsky demanded.

"Yeah. I don't dig on chubby boys who sweat too much and are gonna be bald by the time they're _thirty_."

Karofsky's prior indifferent voice was replaced with one of rage. "Do not _push me, _Hummel."

"You gonna hit me? Do it."

"_Don't push me!_"

The sound of a slamming locker echoed from the locker room and throughout the hallway.

"Hit me, because it's not gonna change who I am. You can't punch the gay out of me anymore than I can punch the ignoramus out of you!"

"GET OUT OF MY FACE!"

"You are _nothing_ but a scared little boy who can't handle how extraordinary ordinary you are!"

Then there was silence.

No more than ten seconds went by until Ari heard a cry, along with what sounded like a fist punching a locker. That was followed by loud sniffing, and before Ari could brace herself, Karofsky came storming out of the locker room.

She backed herself up against the wall, feeling completely exposed and vulnerable. Karofsky had to know that she had heard everything. What would he do to her? Something worse than Paul had ever done?

The two made eye contact, and Ari felt an unexpected pang of sympathy for the big jock. Tears ran down his cheeks and his hands shook. Instead of appearing angry, as he had sounded in the locker room, he looked rather…afraid.

Karofsky said nothing, and took off running down the hallway.

Ari remained frozen in place, completely appalled at what she had just witnessed. What had happened to make Dave Karofsky, the right guard on the football team, the bullying homophobe, so horrified? What had happened between him and Kurt during those ten seconds of silence?

Without further hesitation, Ari swung open the door the boy's locker room. What she saw nearly broke her heart.

Kurt had slumped down on the wooden bench next to the lockers. He cradled his head in his hands and his shoulders shook with small sobs that were hardly audible, even in the surreal quietness of the locker room.

Ari instinctively joined him on the bench, wrapping her still-sore arms around his lithe frame as tightly as she could, allowing him to bury his face into her shoulder. She felt Kurt's tears stain her shirt, though she didn't care. She simply ran her fingers through his perfectly styled hair until his shaking subsided.

Once his breathing had gone relatively back to normal, Ari dared to ask. "What happened, Kurt?"

Kurt sniffled. "He…oh, Ari…"

She kissed the top of his head soothingly. "It's all right, honey. You're going to be okay. Did he hurt you? Did he hit you?"

Kurt shook his head. "N-no. I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Ari disagreed, rubbing circles on his back. "What did he do, Kurt?"

Taking a deep breath, Kurt answered her in a whisper. "…He kissed me."

Ari felt as if she had received whiplash from the sudden turn of events. Karofsky? Kiss Kurt? That would mean…

"He…he kissed you?"

Kurt nodded.

Dave Karofsky wasn't a homophobe. He was a closeted gay man.

But that wasn't want Ari needed to focus on, now. Kurt had just been harassed in a way he never had been before. He needed her…but Ari found herself having no idea what to do, what to say.

"We have to tell someone, Kurt. Karofsky needs to be stopped. Especially now that we know exactly why he's been bothering you."

"No," Kurt said, his voice laced with defiance. "No, we can't tell anyone that Karofsky's gay. I can't…just force him to come out like that. That wouldn't be right."

Ari knit her eyebrows at his logic. "But…Kurt, after all he's done to you-"

"No, Ari. Please. Promise me you won't."

She sighed. "All right. I promise.

More tears made their way down Kurt's pale cheeks, and Ari found herself having no clue what to do but hug him. She needed someone else's help. Someone who _would_ know what to say. Someone whom Ari had never met, though still despised.

"Kurt? Honey, should we call Blaine?"

Kurt thought for a moment, and then nodded. "My—my phone…"

Ari held it out to him. "I got it for you. Come on, Kurt. Let's get out of here and into your car where you'll be more comfortable."

The two friends made their way to Kurt's Navigator, luckily with no sightings of Karofsky. Once they were settled in, Kurt dialed Blaine's number and took deep breaths as he waited for an answer, probably to make it sound as if he hadn't been crying.

After a few moments, Blaine answered, and Kurt spoke into the phone. "Hi, Blaine, it's Kurt." His voice was so falsely cheery that Ari had to resist the urge to hug him once more.

Ari listened to Kurt's side of the conversation, watching Kurt impatiently wipe new tears from his eyes.

"Oh, everything's fine…just…I…I took your advice and stood up to Karofsky. It…backfired."

Kurt proceeded to tell Blaine the story of what had happened just minutes ago between him and the bully. He was in tears again by the end.

After his story, Kurt was silent for a long few minutes, listening intently to what Blaine was saying on the other end of the line. Ari decided that whatever advice Blaine was giving him, it had to be doing the trick because after a good ten minutes, Kurt's tears had subsided and his face had brightened considerably. Through all the concern Ari had for her best friend, she also wished she had been able to do that in the first place.

"Thank you so much, Blaine," Kurt breathed at the end of their conversation. "I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

He pressed the _end call _button on his cell phone, his hands no longer shaking.

"What did he say?" Ari asked.

"He's coming here tomorrow during lunch. He wants the two of us to confront Karofsky...to see if there's a healthier way he can deal with his confusing thoughts," Kurt answered with a small smile. "I'm kind of scared…but I feel safe with Blaine. And I've only met him once. I just…I trust him."

Swallowing the pain, Ari smiled. "That's great, Kurt. I really hope it works."

Kurt drove Ari back to the children's home, and both were silent the entire way.

Ari couldn't stop the growing resentment she felt towards Blaine, especially knowing that he would be at McKinley the next day. That would mean that she would have to meet him, and pretend to like him for Kurt's sake.

Ari had hard times. Kurt had hard times. Today had definitely been one of them. And one of Ari's greatest wishes was that she and Kurt could share with each other. But the fact that the perfect prep school boy was in the picture made that impossible. Kurt could share his hard times with Blaine. Ari could share her hard times, her fears, her pain, with no one.

And it wasn't until Kurt had pulled into the driveway of the children's home and Ari had climbed out of the car that she realized that she had forgotten about Paul in the parking lot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Glee.**

Shakily pulling out her cell phone, Ari dialed Paul's number, wishing she could do anything but.

Her heart pounded harder with every ring, until Paul's voice finally sounded on the other line.

"Ari." It wasn't a greeting. It was a growl.

Somehow, even though they weren't face to face, Ari still felt herself tremble in fear. "Paul, I am so sorry. I completely forgot to text you-"

"You kept me waiting. Twenty. Minutes."

"I-I know. I'm so sorry. Kurt-"

"I sat in my car in the parking lot, alone, for twenty fucking minutes."

"Kurt was in trouble, I needed-"

"Was I supposed to sit in there, waiting for you, like a damn tool?"

Ari's ear rang with the sudden rising in his voice. "He needed my help," She continued, trying to keep her voice even. "Karofsky was-"

"I don't want to hear your bullshit, Ari! You do not do that to me. You are_ my _girlfriend. You love _me_. Do you know what that means, Ari?"

"I-I don't…"

"It means that I come _first_. Before you fag friend, before _anybody_."

Normally Ari would have been angry at him for insulting her friend in such a terrible way. But she couldn't remember how to speak.

"I forgive you, Ari," Paul continued. "You're human. And this wouldn't be the first time you've done something stupid. I understand; some things are just more difficult for someone like you. It's one of your many flaws I've grown to accept. Do you know why?"

Ari shook her head, forgetting that he couldn't see her.

Paul took her silence as an answer. "It's because I love you. And nobody will _ever_ love you as much as I do."

He hung up.

Ari was unable to meet Blaine the next day at lunch as Kurt had wished. She had been too busy. Not busy eating, not busy talking with her friends.

She was in an empty, isolated hallway with her boyfriend, Paul. Her boyfriend, who told her he loved her and would never leave her. Her boyfriend, who was not supposed to hurt her in any way. Her boyfriend, who was hurting her in every way.

With each blow to her stomach, her arms, her face, Paul reminded her of who she was.

"You're a _slut_. You think I bought any of your excuses? You were with _Hummel._ That lie is beginning to get a bit old, don't you think, you whore?" _Slap._

Ari, although in an isolated hallway at McKinley High School with her boyfriend, was also in a different world entirely. She didn't know exactly where, but she knew _who_ was there. Not Paul. Not Karofsky. Not Blaine. Her parents were there. And Kurt. Mercedes. Quinn. Even Rachel. The people in her life who had brought her happiness. Or comfort. A feeling of belonging.

"I could leave you at any moment," Paul threatened. "I could leave you in the dust, and you'd have _no one._ Because nobody wants you the way I do. Nobody needs you."

Mr. Schue and Finn and Tina…

"You're nothing. You're _worthless_. You're lucky you have me. You're_ nothing_."

The pain of having her fears from the previous day confirmed hurt worse than the punch in the face that followed Paul's declaration. And Ari's other world was no more.

"Come on, I'll buy you lunch," Blaine murmured, unexpectedly clutching Kurt's hand and pulling him up from the dirty step.

Kurt tried to resist the blush that swept across his cheeks but found it to be impossible. And could anyone really blame him? A beautiful, openly gay boy in a _school uniform_ was holding his hand. Blaine was not afraid, nor was he ashamed. Everything Kurt strived to be, but faltered on the occasion. This was one of them.

Kurt let Blaine lead him past the entrance to the lunch room and into the parking lot. It wasn't until Kurt snapped out of his Blaine-induced daze that he realized they were headed towards Blaine's car.

"Where are we going?" Kurt asked, even though he didn't really care. As long as he was with the Warbler.

"For some real food. You told me you have a free period for the next hour, so I figure we should make the most out of it," Blaine explained in a matter-of-fact voice. "What's a good place to eat at around here?"

"Breadstix," Kurt replied automatically, blushing once more, realizing it was the unofficial date restaurant in Lima. But that's not what _this_ was. This was a sorry-the-guy-who-beats-you-up-is-secretly-closeted-and-taking-his-fear-out-on-you lunch between two friends. They had only met the previous day, for Prada's sake!

Blaine flicked on the radio once they buckled up in the car, and the music of a top 40s station quietly filled the car.

Ten minutes later, the two were seated across from one another at a booth, Blaine having already drunk half of his coke and Kurt sipping iced tea.

"I'm disappointed you didn't get to meet Ari today," Kurt mused aloud, wanting to keep the topic away from what had happened at lunch. "I really wanted you to meet her."

"Who's Ari?" Blaine asked, genuine interest taking over his expression.

"One of my best friends," Kurt replied, smiling at the thought of his green-eyed friend. "I told her that I met you, and that you were coming at lunch today. I looked for her on my way to the cafeteria, but I didn't see her."

"Oh, that's too bad," Blaine remarked. "What is she like?"

"She's…wonderful. She's the sweetest and most down to earth person I've ever met. She's one of those people who you can tell anything to and not have to be afraid of being judged. And Ari's extremely talented. She's in Glee club with me, which is how we became friends. She's got dark brown curly hair and bright green eyes…you'd love her, Blaine."

Blaine smiled, his own hazel eyes bright. "I already do. She sounds amazing."

"She is," Kurt agreed. "I mean, we've had our ups and downs as friends, but we're like siblings. We always end up loving each other in the end."

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean by ups and downs?"

Kurt shrugged. "She just-there was a period of time recently where we hardly spoke. Nothing happened…she just…she was different for a while. She was quiet and she kept to herself…and her boyfriend, Paul. Personally I've never cared very much for Paul. He…he's very possessive of her. I think he's the reason why I hardly saw Ari. We're better now, we've made up and things are almost back to normal."

"Almost?"

Kurt frowned. "She's still so…quiet. She seems to isolate herself from everyone during Glee practice…and she always seems as if she's thinking about something. People have to call her name several times to get her attention. And...if you go to touch her, even just on the shoulder, she flinches. I don't even think she realizes it." Kurt sighed, and took a moment murmur his thanks to the waiter who had arrived to deliver their food. "The girl leads a pretty tough life…her parents died in a car crash when she was a baby and she's currently living in a children's home. She's the oldest one there, so that can't be easy. Ari…doesn't like to talk about herself much. If I try to get her to open up…she freezes and changes the subject. Sometimes I worry a lot about her."

Blaine nodded, contemplating this. "Yes, I can see why you'd be worried. For someone who closes themselves off like that, you can only imagine what's really going on inside of them."

"I know I have my own troubles. But…I'd put them all aside for her. Just like she does for me all the time," Kurt said.

"Maybe just give her some time. If she knows that you're there for her, she'll eventually come to you. You obviously love her a lot. She'll open up to you when she's ready," Blaine offered, his eyes bright with admiration for the relationship Kurt and Ari shared. "And speaking of your troubles," Blaine continued. "I think we should talk about what happened back there with Karofsky."

Kurt's face fell, and he felt a rush of anxiety go through him. Just the thought of the mess of everything made his heart race.

Blaine must have noticed his stress, because his eyes softened and he rested a comforting hand on Kurt's. "Hey…it'll be okay. I know everything seems really dark now, but it'll get brighter. How are you feeling?"

Kurt thought for a moment. "…Sad. Still a little scared, because I don't think the harassment is going to stop." Kurt paused, his lips forming into a shy smile. "But, Blaine, I….I'm glad I have you. I know we only met a few days ago…but…I honestly don't know if I would have lasted another day without you." Kurt was blushing furiously now, ten times worse than he had been previously.

Blaine smiled, giving Kurt's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You would have. You're so strong, Kurt. Stronger than you even realize. But you don't have to be alone. If anything…becomes too much, you know I'd love to be there for you. You're never alone, Kurt."

Not trusting his voice, Kurt murmured, simply, "I know."

**A/N: If you wouldn't mind leaving a review, I would be so happy! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

The meaning of time had come to mean little to Ari as it flew by and her pain worsened. Her bruises grew darker and her self-esteem lay in ruins. She lived through the remainder of the month in snapshots of memory. All of the other moments simply blurred into nothingness.

* * *

><p>"Tell someone, Kurt," Ari insisted for what seemed like the hundredth time. The two friends were walking to the parking lot together after Glee club. Kurt's hands were still shaking from his earlier encounter with Karofsky.<p>

"No, Ari," Kurt objected, a frown across his pale face. "I know that what he did—what he's _doing_ is wrong. But…that doesn't make it right for me to just force him out him like that. Nobody deserves that."

"Nobody _deserves _to live in fear every day, Kurt!"

"Well, nobody deserves to face a part of themselves they're not ready to!"

"Nobody deserves to have their _life_ threatened."

Tears flooded Kurt's light blue eyes. "Don't you think I _know_ that? I'm not trying to justify why Karofsky's been tormenting me. I'm just trying to do what's right here."

"Right for who?" Ari challenged, and noticed that Kurt's hands were shaking even more now.

"You don't understand. You wouldn't. Look…please, just let me handle this and support my decisions as my friend. Isn't that what you are?" Kurt asked with a bit of annoyance laced in his words.

Ari spotted Paul's Dodge Stratus in the lot. She wasn't sure which was more desirable—arguing with Kurt or being punished for breaking on of Paul's rules.

"We _are_, Kurt. And I'm only trying to look out for you. But if mine's not good enough for you, why don't you ask your dear _Blaine_? I'm sure he'd love to take over for me," Ari spat with a final huff. She didn't know why she was being so snippy, especially when Kurt's situation had just worsened to a new level. Though, she felt as if all he could do was complain to her, while she hid the fact that she was in a very similar situation herself, but was not as open to talking about it. Her conflicted mind couldn't pin point the precise reason why she felt so defensive. Maybe it was because Kurt had opened himself to more options. Maybe it was because Blaine really _was_ taking over and she was jealous. Maybe it was everything in her life, jumbled into one big, catastrophic problem.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kurt questioned.

Ari climbed into Paul's black car and slammed the door shut as an answer.

* * *

><p>"So, I really wanna do something nice for Kurt," Finn explained to the Glee club the next week. He had planned a secret emergency meeting and had asked everyone to come, except Kurt. "He's throwing himself into the preparations for our parent's wedding. I also…haven't been there enough for him as I should. I just want to let him know…that as his stepbrother, I'll always be there, you know? I was thinking we could all sing 'Just the Way You Are' at the reception in his honor."<p>

"That's a great idea, Finn," Mr. Schue agreed.

They began choreographing the number, and Ari couldn't help but be proud of Finn's growth as a person. There was a time where the thought of becoming Kurt's brother would have repulsed him. All things considered, Kurt _did _openly obsess over Finn. Their rough past had once seemed unfixable. But now, it appeared that Finn was embracing the role of Kurt's protective, loving brother.

Because of this, Ari ignored the aches that came every time she raised her arms or moved in such a way that bothered the bruises on her ribcage. She and Kurt hadn't said more than two words to each other in the past week. Ari regretted her defensiveness towards him during their last conversation, and she was determined to make it up to him.

The first step was dancing through the pain.

* * *

><p>Ari felt trapped. More trapped than she had ever felt in her entire life.<p>

She had only gone to an emergency Glee club meeting. She had even texted Paul to inform him of this.

With every punch to her face and kick to her stomach, he let her know just how much he didn't believe her.

* * *

><p>The strapless red bridesmaid dress did nothing to cover up Ari's bumps and bruises. By that weekend, they had lightened into a sickly yellow, but were not as visible as they would have been previously that week. Nonetheless, that didn't stop people from questioning. Ari had thought long and hard of an excuse, and came up with one that seemed likely enough. She had fallen down the porch steps on her way out to school and the beginning of that week. Everyone seemed to buy it, and that was all that mattered to Ari. Especially since Paul had threatened her that if anyone found out the truth of the bruises, she would receive many more identical to them.<p>

After Burt and Carole Hummel's beautiful wedding ceremony, Ari found herself sitting down at her assigned seat at the reception, watching her friends dance along with the rest of the wedding guests. A part of her wanted to get up and join them, but in fear that pictures of her dancing with the wrong person (Finn, Puck, Artie, Sam, or Mike) would wind up on Facebook, which Paul would inevitably see, she remained seated.

That is, until Kurt was suddenly standing in front of Ari, offering his hand to her. His eyes looked more bright and excited than she had ever seen them, and there was no possible way she could refuse him. It went unspoken that Kurt's hand signified a peace offering.

Ari took Kurt's hand, and he spun her out onto the dance floor.

Kurt's hand secured on her waist, he lead her in such a way that her inexperienced dancing skills wouldn't cause them spinning into another couple.

"I'm glad you came," Kurt told Ari after a while. "At first, I didn't think you would."

Ari knit her eyebrows in confusion. "Why wouldn't I? You're still my best friend, Kurt. And this is an important day for you—for your family. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Kurt smiled warmly. "Thank you. Ari…I'm sorry, if I made you upset last time we talked. I-"

Ari was already shaking her head. "No, Kurt, please. I'm sorry. You didn't do anything. You were right—it's not right to force Karofsky out. I just…I hate what he's been doing to you."

Kurt pulled Ari closer, dancing forgotten. Ari rested her head on her best friend's shoulder, taking a deep breath.

"I know. But it's over now. He won't be bothering me anymore. He's gone from McKinley, and he won't be coming back. The fear is gone for me." He paused. "But…I don't think it's gone for you."

Ari's head shot up. "What do you mean?"

Kurt frowned sadly and reached to her shoulder, his fingers brushing lightly over a fading bruise. "You're covered in these," he pointed out, his voice soft. "Please don't tell me it was from falling down the stairs."

Ari's voice caught in her throat, and she took a moment to collect herself. The moment was all the confirmation Kurt seemed to need.

"If these bruises aren't from the stairs…where are they from?" Kurt asked, but his voice didn't hold its normal confidence. He wasn't expecting her to answer truthfully.

But Ari didn't want to lie. "Kurt…" She murmured her voice barely audible over the roar of the music and laughter. She clasped his hand in her own, removing it from where it lingered on her bruised shoulder. "…I'm sorry. I—I can't." Tears flooded her green eyes, and it took all the strength she had to keep them from spilling over.

Kurt pulled her close again, his chin resting on the top of her head. "It's all right, honey. I've got you. You're all right."

In that moment, wrapped in her friend's arms, Ari felt safe. It had been a while since she had felt that way. She savored every second of it, knowing that once he broke the embrace, the pain would start anew.

Ari never would have been able to guess just how much.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry. I have to go," Kurt apologized in a tear-filled murmur. He left the choir room before anyone could say a word.<p>

Ari felt dizzy. No, she felt sick. She felt her one lifeline in this entire school—Kurt, her best friend, the only person who could understand the pain she felt…he was gone. He was going to Dalton Academy.

Her legs acting of their own accord, Ari ran out of the choir room, tears flooding her cheeks and blurring her vision. She called after him as if she would never see him again. She ignored the annoyed teachers who stuck their heads out of their classrooms to assess the commotion.

And before she knew it, Ari flew into Kurt's arms. She noticed that he almost staggered backwards, but did not loosen her grip to allow him to balance himself.

All she could ask, her voice muffled by Kurt's shoulder, was, "why?"

Kurt embraced her small frame, pulling her tightly into him. "I can't handle him anymore, Ari. You know that. He'll be back tomorrow."

A sob escaped her lips, and she saw her tears stain Kurt's designer shirt. "I can't be here without you, Kurt." If only he knew the truth to her words.

He kissed the side of her head. "Of course you can. Ari, I'm going to miss you _so much_. But you'll be okay. I'll come visit all of the time. And we'll Skype everyday…it'll be like I never left." The false cheeriness in Kurt's voice made her hold onto him tighter.

The moment was now. She had to tell him. Her one chance was about to move two hours away.

"Kurt, I-….I need t-to…" She trailed off, unsure of how to begin.

They both jumped at the feeling of Kurt's phone vibrating in his pocket.

Kurt broke the hug and pulled the phone out of his expensive jeans. Reading the text, he sighed. "It's my dad. I…I have to go now, honey. Ari…I promise you, you'll be okay. This is…this is just better for me. I'll be safer. Please, be happy for me." The hopeful smile on Kurt's face was too much for Ari to handle. She simply nodded, not trusting her voice.

With one last hug, Kurt was gone.

* * *

><p>The days in the week that followed felt like centuries to Ari. New Directions was in a frenzy, preparing for Sectionals and recruiting new members after the loss of Kurt.<p>

Ari didn't feel as if she was a part of the chaos of her show choir. Instead, she was in a chaos that was entirely her own.

At the moment, Ari and Paul were in the school's parking lot. He had forcibly pulled her by the wrist behind his car where no one could see. Ari wasn't exactly sure why Paul was hitting her. He had accused her of something—what was it? Not checking in with him at lunch that day? Had he seen her having a friendly conversation with Artie on her way to geometry? She wasn't sure. Did it matter? No. It didn't matter to her anymore. In fact, she couldn't think of one thing that mattered to her. She was trapped, now more than ever before. Maybe that was because her one way out was now so far away from her.

Tears sprung to her eyes as Paul sent his fist flying, rougher than ever before, into her stomach. She tried to double over in pain, but he held her up so she was unable to recover from the blow.

"W-why are you doing this?" She dared to ask as soon as her breathing came somewhat back to normal.

"You know why, you little slut," Paul responded as he slapped her. "I told you I didn't want you talking to any of them. I saw you with Evans!"

Ari cried out. Defending herself, emotionally and physically, would be useless. Paul could easily overpower her in both ways and they both knew it. It was pointless to explain that Sam had only wanted to know what the English homework had been. But she needed another, more pressing point cleared up.

"But why?" Ari continued, trying to make her voice even so she didn't sound as weak as she felt. "Why do you do this to me?"

Her sob-filled question must have struck a chord in Paul, because the pain suddenly stopped coming. Instead of hitting her, Paul took her face in his hands, cradling her chin. Ari tried her hardest not to flinch as he did so, but failed.

"Because, baby. I love you. And I'm trying to show you that you can't whore yourself around when you're with me. It _will _get you into trouble. But I know you love me, and you'll change your ways for me. Because I'm all you're ever going to have."

Then, Paul kissed her.

Ari stood, her lips motionless and her stomach desperate to empty itself of its contents. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to turn around, run away and never come back. She wanted to rewind her life back to the moment she met Paul Adamson, and decline his offer to go on a date.

But too much time had gone by, and Ari had dug herself in too deep. And all the way down there, she was alone.

* * *

><p>The New Directions and the Warblers had tied at Sectionals. The teenagers, half of them in white dresses and maroon dress shirts and the other half in blue blazers with red trimming, were rejoicing around her, jumping, squealing and hugging. Ari, with her bruised ribs and shoulders, didn't think she was up for jumping and squealing. But she needed Kurt's arms around her immediately. The one thing in her life that made sense.<p>

But suddenly, everything stopped making sense. Because a short, curly haired Warbler was hugging Kurt instead. The realization that Blaine had taken Ari's place hit Ari like a ton of bricks, and she couldn't move. And then, the Warblers rushed off stage, presumably to get an early start on their two hour bus ride back to Westerville.

In that moment, Ari had no choice but to accept how alone she really felt, despite standing on a stage in front of a crowd of people.

**A/N: First off, I wanna thank everyone who reviewed! I'm really happy to know that some people are actually reading this and enjoying it. Secondly, sorry for the angst overload these past few chapters. But next chapter-Blaine will play a major role in helping Ari know she's never alone. **

**Please review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Ari went through the next two weeks in a very numb state. It was easier than letting the grief she had felt at Sectionals consume her. Her mind and body had shut down and she was living her life on auto-pilot. If anyone in the Glee club had noticed -and there -was no doubt in Ari's mind that they had- they didn't say anything. Paul never noticed anything that would require him to be insightful, but he had to know that her quietness and the way she let herself be thrown around by him was because he had won.

The one ray of sunlight in Ari's life was her frequent communication with Kurt. He had apologized for not saying hi to her at Sectionals, and explained that the Warblers had been in a rush to return back to Dalton. Ari brushed it off, explaining to him that it was fine and that she understood. Ari knew that Kurt hadn't purposely blown her off. But that didn't mean that he had unknowingly broken her heart by finding a new best friend. He didn't realize how much their friendship actually meant to her.

Kurt's life was brightening up, that was for sure. Ari could tell simply by the sound of his voice when they spoke over the phone, or the light in his eyes when they Skyped together. He was a different person entirely now that he didn't have to face his demons every day. Dalton had a strict no bullying, no harassment policy. Kurt could be who he truly was there without fear of somebody putting him down.

Ari envied him immensely.

Although, even after days of numbness, right now was not the time for Ari to feel anything but excitement. The day before, Kurt had invited her to come to Dalton the next day to visit him. Today was Monday and she had left Glee club early to make the two hour drive to Westerville. She had barely slept the night before in anticipation, and she felt as if nothing could stop her from being excited to get out of Lima for a few hours, even if she was only going a few towns over. The fact that earlier that day, during Ari's lunch period, Paul had punched her in the eye had almost bounced off of Ari. She refused to let him have the small bit of happiness that remained inside of her.

Brian, one of the caretakers at the children's home Ari lived at, had been kind enough to drive her to Dalton. Kurt had promised to drive her home later that night. The ride seemed longer than two hours—it felt like two years. Finally, Brian pulled the car up to the place where Kurt had instructed her to go—the front entrance of his dorm building. Ari pulled her pea coat tighter around her to keep out the frosty December chill. Securing her backpack on one of her shoulders, she made her way inside, eager to see her fashionable friend for the first time in a while.

Kurt had told Ari that Dalton was a nice school, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw when she walked through the front door. The lobby of Kurt's dorm building looked like the lobby of a fancy hotel. Two plush couches were angled near a roaring fireplace, and a pretty chandelier hung from the ceiling. This was clearly where students gathered to hang out or do homework, because Ari noticed clusters of chairs and small coffee tables throughout the room that provided nice, comfortable sitting areas. A group of studying students was gathered at one of the sitting areas, all clad in Dalton's school uniform. The two boys wore blue blazers with red trimming, ties and gray pants, and the three girls wore a more feminine but similar blazer with gray skirts.

Ari was able to stop herself from admiring the room's atmosphere in time to remember that Kurt said he would be waiting by the front desk for her. However, she did not find Kurt there.

Instead, she found Blaine.

Much to Ari's dismay, Blaine wore a wide smile on his face as he strode over to her confidently. "Hi, you must be Ari!" He greeted her, offering his hand for her to shake.

Annoyed, but trying not to show it, Ari shook his hand lightly. "Hi." She paused so her question didn't sound too eager. "Where's Kurt?"

Blaine's smile turned a bit sad. "He told me to apologize to you. He completely forgot that he had to make-up a French test after classes today, and had to run to his classroom to go take it. He didn't have time to text you. But he asked me to keep you company until he's done, which should be in about an hour or so." Blaine's tone was enthusiastic, as if spending time with Ari had been the best thing that happened to him all day. Ari cursed his genuine excitement.

She wondered if it was too late to call Brian and ask him to turn around and come back for her.

Her heart sinking, Ari mustered a fake smile. "Oh, okay. Thanks…"

"I thought we could go on up to my dorm and hang there for a while, until Kurt gets out. Sound good?" Blaine asked.

Ari nodded.

Seeming pleased with himself, Blaine reached out and slid his fingers under one of Ari's backpack straps. "Let me take your bag for you," he offered.

Ari resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Blaine for being such a perfect gentleman when she was trying, very hard, to hate him.

"We just have to sign you in," Blaine explained, leading over to the front desk and telling the woman sitting there that he had a friend visiting him for a few hours. With a quick couple of signatures, the two headed up the staircase leading to the dorms.

"I'm glad Kurt asked me to keep you company, you know. I've been looking forward to meeting you for a while, now," Blaine remarked as they walked down the hallway, passing dozens of dorm doors. "Kurt talks about you _constantly._"

Ari felt her black eye begin to sting at the mention of Kurt and the fact she had to spend an hour with the man who had stolen her best friend from her.

Instead of mentioning that Kurt talked about Blaine all the time, as well, she simply nodded.

They reached the third door from the end of the hallway and Blaine held it open for Ari. Stepping inside, Ari admired the nice, but small room in which Blaine lived. A bed covered in a deep red comforter sat in the corner of the room. A small couch sat in front of the bed, with a television on a coffee table across from it. There was a desk in the opposite corner of the room that was covered in books and sheet music. Next to the closet door stood a guitar in a stand.

"Um…nice place," Ari commented rather awkwardly as Blaine shut the door behind them.

"Well, it's not much, but thank you," Blaine responded, grinning sheepsihly. "You can have a seat if you want." He pulled out the desk chair, gesturing for her to sit.

Blaine took a seat on the bed across from her. "So, Kurt tells me you're in your school's show choir," Blaine begins, launching into small-talk. "Apparently, you're _very_ talented."

Ari, much to her dismay, feels a blush rush to her cheeks. "…Well, I'm not the best in New Directions. Rachel Berry is…I don't know if Kurt's told you about her…"

"The crazy one. Yes, I've heard all about her. From what I saw at Sectionals, an extremely gifted singer, and from what Kurt tells me, an extremely gifted pest," Blaine joked.

Ari cracked a smile without even realizing it. "That pretty much sums it up. She usually has the spotlight in everything we do."

"That's too bad," Blaine sympathized, knitting his eyebrows together. "Everyone deserves to have a chance. I bet you're just as good as Rachel."

"Maybe you're right," Ari agreed jokingly, finding herself not minding conversation with Blaine after all.

The two continued chatting idly for a while, about subjects ranging from show choir to the weather to Kurt. Ari found that Blaine really did respect and value Kurt as a person just as Ari did, although the glow in Blaine's eyes as he spoke of him suggested to Ari that he possibly liked him more than a friend. Ari decided that maybe there was still room for her after all, especially since Blaine was eager to become her friend as well. Ari decided that her despising Blaine for being Kurt's friend was really ignorant and childish of her. Blaine really had helped Kurt adjust, and come to terms with his problems at school. If Ari couldn't come to terms with her own problems, the most she could do was be happy for Kurt.

A half hour passed by, and though Ari was still anxious to see Kurt, she didn't mind the comfortable conversation with Blaine.

But the comfort didn't last long. Because after they had finished discussing Kurt's massive fashion sense of which they were both fascinated by, Blaine asked Ari a question that left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

"I apologize if I'm overstepping, but…how did you get that black eye?"

The unexpected abruptness of Blaine's inquiry sent Ari's hand shooting up to cover her eye, as if shielding the sight of the bruise from Blaine. But it was too late. Surely, he had noticed from the beginning and had only been waiting until the proper moment to ask her about it.

Ari cursed herself for not re-applying makeup on it prior to leaving for Dalton.

Blaine waited for her answer patiently, but it went unsaid that he had also noticed her brief, inner struggle to come up with an excuse for her injury.

"A-A few of the little kids at the children's home I live at were playing ball. They don't have the best aim, and I got hit," Ari explained so quickly that she was certain that Blaine realized her bluff.

Though, he didn't show it. "Ah, yes. Kurt mentioned that you lived in an orphanage in Lima," he noted, his tone showing every bit of normalcy. It made Ari even more certain that he had caught on to her lie. "I can just imagine all the chaos there, with all of the younger kids."

Ari nodded in confirmation, her mind elsewhere. Two things then happened to Ari very suddenly and very quickly. First, an overwhelming feeling of guilt rushed through her, starting from the top of her head an ending in the pit of her stomach, making her feel sick. Next, her mind unattached itself from her lips, and she started to speak.

"I can't lie to you," Ari explained, her voice dry. "I don't know why." She chucked for a wild moment in spite of herself. "I don't even _know _you."

Blaine remained silent, his expression indicating that she has his undivided attention. She knows, deep somewhere inside of her, that if she doesn't tell him now, she'll never tell anyone.

Taking a deep, slow, breath, she begins. "I started dating my boyfriend, Paul Adamson, last year…"

Ari tried not to cry as she told her story. She truly did. But with each word of her confession came another tear. The pain flowed down her cheeks and washed off the remainder of her makeup, revealing the whole of the bruise as well as a few marks from the past week that Paul had given her. Ari talked and talked, knowing that many minutes had flown by and Blaine was probably wondering why she was even telling him this. Why would he care? But Ari needed to get the words out. She was grateful for the fact he was, at least, listening. Blaine didn't interrupt. Blaine only listened.

And then, Ari was done. Her story was finished, though in reality, it seemed far from over. The feeling of fear confirmed this as it coursed its way through Ari, replacing the guilt.

Her secret was out. Words of truth had been spoken aloud, and there was no taking them back.

**A/N: So sorry for the long break with no updates! I'll try to be faster. The next chapter is a lot of fluff, so put your helmets on. Last thing-I would loveee to get more reviews. They give me inspiration to be a better writer, and I like knowing that people are enjoying what I'm writing, let alone reading what I'm writing. Even if you don't like my story-let me know! The more input I get, the better. Thanks so much!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Ari's world was on the brink of crashing down around her. The sky started to fall and the ground caved in from underneath her feet. Ari was defenseless, powerless, and utterly alone. The only thing she could do was watch her world collapse.

That was, however, until Blaine's arms enveloped her, keeping her world, her life, intact. His hug was gentle yet tight at the same time, and his hand rubbed soothing circles on her back as she choked back sobs. He murmured soothing things into Ari's ear as she collected herself, taking deep breaths and blinking back tears.

In the moments that went by, Ari forced herself not to focus on her fear, but the fact that a sense of genuine comfort was slowly starting to replace it. It almost as if she were being hugged by a brother. It was a feeling very similar to what she felt when she hugged Kurt.

Hesitantly, she wrapped her shaking arms around the Warbler.

"I am so sorry that this has been happening to you, Ari," Blaine whispered soothingly, still rubbing Ari's back. "Nobody deserves this. _You_ do not deserve this."

Ari sniffled, not quite believing Blaine.

"You have done nothing wrong," Blaine continued. "Paul does not have the right to _ever_ lay a hand on you. You need to know that you deserve so much better than that."

"I-I let it happen. Every day…" Ari whimpered.

"You're scared. You're _scared_, Ari. Anyone would be. You feel powerless because you're_ human_. Paul has taken over everything in your life and it's not your fault. It's his need to…control you." Blaine loosened his arms around Ari and rested his hands on her shoulders, gazing into her eyes firmly. "You deserve so much more, honey. You really do."

Again, Ari attempted to wipe her constant tears away. "I've let it go on for so long…it's like I've _asked_ for it…" She trailed off, lost in her own remorse.

"No," Blaine disagreed, his eyes serious. "No, Ari. You've been threatened by him not to tell anyone! This is barely in your control. You've been scared out of your wits…But Ari, it's all right to ask for help, just like it's all right to be afraid. You are worth standing up for. You're worth _fighting_ for. You do not deserve to be hit by your boyfriend. Paul does not love _you_, he loves controlling you. But there is a way out. You have to know that." He paused, his expression softening. "I don't need Kurt to tell me how amazing of a person you are. I can already tell. You're strong…You're trying to make excuses for Paul because you're trying to justify the situation. You're so strong…but you don't need to be all of the time. Let others help you, Ari. Let people in. Have _courage_."

Ari let this sink in. Sure, she hardly knew Blaine Anderson. She'd only known him for forty five minutes and had told him the dark secret that had been stored deep inside her soul for a year! But Blaine's words weren't empty. There _had _to be truth in what he was saying, or else, why would he bother saying anything?

Ari nodded. "I…I just…I don't know how. To be brave, I mean. I don't know how to ask for help."

"Why don't you start by telling someone other than me? One of your guardians, a teacher, a social worker—_anyone_. Somebody who can truly make a difference. Somebody who can get involved directly."

Ari shook her head. Who would she tell? Mr. Schue? Ms. Pillsbury? How would she start? And really, what_ would_ they do? "I…I can't. Blaine, I…I want to try to do this myself. I…It's like what you said. About having courage. I just…I need to find some, and tell Paul that what he's doing is wrong. He needs to know…that he can't control me. He can't use me." A newfound determination flowed through Ari, making her feel empowered.

Blaine's eyes narrowed. "Ari, don't you think you should...uh, break up with him?"

"No," Ari insisted automatically. "No, I-I love Paul. I just…He hurts me when he's angry. But I love him when he's happy." She ignored the fact that she felt as if she was trying to make herself believe her own words.

Blaine looked extremely hesitant. "Ari…What he's doing to you-"

"Is wrong, I know." Ari finished for him. "But I'm not going to let this go so easily. I-I'm not giving up on him. I think…I think he _could_ be a good person, if he didn't hit me all the time." She paused, changing her mind. "Paul _is _a good person."

Blaine's expression remained skeptical. "It seems like you're trying to convince yourself more than you're trying to convince me."

"I just…I just _know_ that things can be okay…if I only talk to him. I'll talk to him about how he treats me—I'll tell him I'll break up with him if he doesn't stop." It seemed like a fair compromise to keep Blaine's doubts at bay. Ari's doubts, however, raged high within her, but she ignored them. This _had _to work.

Blaine sighed, clearly realizing that his argument was lost. "Look, I hardly know you. I'm glad that you trusted me with this information, but I have no right to tell you how to live because I've only just met you. But I really like you, Ari. I think we could be really good friends." Blaine paused, running his hand through his perfectly gelled, dark hair. "At least…at least promise me two things. Promise me that you'll keep me informed on how things go with Paul, and if you need any help. Because I _will _be there, Ari. In a heartbeat."

Ari smiled, hardly believing that a boy she had only just met, and once hated, was letting her rely on him so much. "Thank you, Blaine. I know we've only just met…but that means a lot."

Blaine smiled, but continued. "Secondly…I would like it if you told Kurt about all of this."

Ari blanched. "Tell him about…Paul?"

"Yes."

"Blaine, I-I can't."

His eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why not?"

Ari sighed, feeling tears threatening to spill over once more. "Kurt…would never forgive me. I've been lying to him—to _everyone_—for the longest time. But mostly Kurt. He's always hated Paul…I think, in a way, he's always known that there's something…wrong with him. Kurt just…if he finds out, he won't ever look at me the same again."

Blaine's eyes went from confused to gentle. "He worries about you, you know. Since the day I first met him, he's always talked about you. He knows that you weren't happy about his transfer, and that you've been…unusually quiet, over the past few months. If you tell him about Paul, then everything will make sense to him, and he'll be able to help you. More than I ever could, for sure. Kurt _knows_ you," Blaine explained, his words making painstakingly perfect sense in Ari's mind.

"More than anyone else," Ari added, agreeing with Blaine. She then nodded, taking a deep breath. "Fine. I'll tell him. But no one else can know, Blaine. I want to deal with this for myself. I-I'm tired of being quiet. I'm tired of constantly being silenced by Paul. It's time that he realizes that I am my own person. I'm not going to let him control me anymore than he already has."

Blaine responded to her proclamation by pulling her into another hug.

* * *

><p>Kurt raced down the hallway leading to Blaine's dorm, feeling anxious and guilty for ditching Ari for so long. He had completely forgotten about the French test he had to make up when he invited her to Dalton, and had been in such a rush to get to his classroom after classes that he had practically begged Blaine in a ramble to keep her company until he was done. Luckily, Blaine, being as sweet, kind and perfect as he was, happily agreed and had rushed off back to their dormitory building to meet her.<p>

Kurt didn't bother knocking on the door to Blaine's dorm because he knew the two of them would be in there, hopefully having an awkwardness-free conversation. He so desperately wanted his best friend and the boy he was (secretly) in love with to get along, although he still wasn't sure how willing Ari was to befriending Blaine. Kurt only hoped that Blaine's charm and outgoing personality had won her over just enough so she had been sufficiently entertained for the hour that he was taking his test.

He didn't expect, however, to see Ari sitting in Blaine's desk chair, her eyes red and watery, and Blaine on his knees with his arms wrapped securely around her small frame.

Kurt's heart rose in his chest at the sight of his best friend in obvious pain. He stood there, frozen, watching the two people who were once strangers to each other embrace each other. Ari was gripping onto Blaine's blazer with such fierceness that there was no doubt in Kurt's mind that something was frightening her.

"What—Ari—What's wrong?" Kurt stammered, his mind still trying to process the situation.

Ari quickly unwound her arms from around Blaine and turned her face away from Kurt, trying to discreetly wipe away leftover tears. "Oh, Kurt…hi! How was your test?" Her voice dripped with false cheerfulness. She turned back to face him, but did not look him straight in the eye.

Kurt hesitantly walked next to her and knelt down next to Blaine, so Ari's face was slightly above his own. "It was fine. Arianna…what happened? Why have you been crying?" He raised his hand to her face and wiped away a tear she had missed. In the dim light of the setting sun coming from Blaine's window, Kurt noticed a dark circle around Ari's eye.

Blaine cupped Kurt's elbow in his hand, a friendly gesture that sent Kurt's heart racing despite the situation they were in. "Ari would like to talk to you about something," Blaine explained, his voice calm. So calm that Kurt was certain that whatever Ari had to say was going to possibly make cry.

Kurt always had been an emotional person, what with everything that had occurred in his life. Between his mother dying when he was a child and neanderthals shoving him into lockers as a teenager, Kurt often found it impossible to keep everything bottled up inside. And he knew that if Ari, his best friend, was hurting, he would hurt as well.

Kurt turned his attention back to his green eyed friend. "What is it, sweetie?"

Ari opened her mouth and then closed it again, looking too scared to say a word.

Blaine rested his other hand on Ari's shoulder in a comforting gesture, and Ari seemed to calm a bit. "If you can't tell Kurt, how will you ever have a conversation with Paul?" He asked her quietly.

Paul? What did this have to do with Paul? Had the two broken up? Kurt knew he wouldn't be crying with Ari over _that_. Kurt had always hated Paul. He couldn't pinpoint _exactly_ why, unless you count the fact that he was friends with the jocks whose favorite hobby (besides football and hockey) was dumping slushies on Kurt's head. But there was something else entirely about Paul that made Kurt uneasy. Perhaps it was the way he was desperately clingy to Ari, to the point where Kurt hardly ever heard from her. It seemed as though the more serious Ari and Paul's relationship grew, the farther apart Ari and Kurt became.

"You can tell me anything, Ari," Kurt prompted, trying to keep the anxiousness out of his voice. He took her hand in his own.

Ari nodded, beginning. Her voice was weaker than he'd ever heard it, and it scared him like nothing else. "Paul...Paul is abusive. To me."

Kurt's world stop turning and his mind started racing. He stared at Ari blankly for the longest moment, processing this information. No…this did not surprise him. Not at all. But the immense hate for himself for not catching on earlier hit him hard. And of course…a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Oh, Ari," Kurt breathed, not knowing what else to say. "Ari I—oh my God." Kurt gathered her in his arms, wanting to protect her from the outside world but at the same time feeling utterly helpless. "He gave you the black eye?"

Kurt felt Ari nod against his shoulder. "He's given me a lot of black eyes," she admitted with a sniffle. It sounded as if she was holding back the rest of her tears that she hadn't yet shed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kurt tried to not make his question sound like a demand, but he couldn't help the fact that he wanted to march over to Paul Adamson's house and bitch slap him harder than he'd ever dreamed slapping Rachel Berry when she showed up to school with a reindeer printed on her sweater.

"I…I-I'm so sorry, Kurt," was Ari's only reply.

Kurt raised his perfectly manicured eyebrows. "_You're_ sorry? Don't make it sound like you _asked_ Paul to hit you. You have nothing to be sorry for!" He exclaimed.

Ari shuddered in Kurt's arms, and Kurt immediately regretted his outburst. He worked to tone down his anger, saving it for later.

"Ari," Kurt began again, this time his voice soothing. "Sweetie, I am so sorry. I had no idea…"

Ari leaned up to meet his eyes with her own. "It's not your fault. _Please, _Kurt. Please don't feel bad. I tried to hide it. I tried so hard. And I did, for a while. I just…I can't do it anymore," she explained, her tone sounding as if she hadn't slept in days.

"You have to tell someone," Kurt insisted. "Meryl," he named, referring to the caretaker at Ari's children's home. "Or Mr. Schue! I'll even go with you, you don't have to be alone when-"

"No." It was polite enough, but final.

"What?"

"No, Kurt. I can't."

"You _can_. I even said I'd do it with you!"

Ari shook her head. "This is something _I _need to fix. I can do this, Kurt. I don't need to get adults involved," She paused, taking a deep breath. Her voice became stronger as she continued. "I'll talk to Paul tomorrow. I'm going to call him out on what he's doing, just like you did with Karofsky. I'm going to...I'm going to have courage."

Kurt sighed. "Calling Karofsky out on what he was doing didn't exactly turn out that well for me," he reminded her.

Blaine, whom Kurt had almost forgotten about (an occurrence that had never happened before), cast his eyes downward. Kurt mentally scolded himself for bringing up a subject Blaine undoubtedly, and wrongfully, blamed himself for. Kurt noted that he would speak to him later to change that.

"But at least you did _something_," Ari amended. "You made a difference in your own life. And Blaine," she turned to the dark haired Warbler, whose eyes were still sad for what must have been a matter of reasons. "You helped him get to that point. I just…I know that if I have the two of you…I can get there, too."

Blaine smiled sadly, wrapping his arm around her. "You will. But don't think this is your battle to fight alone. Kurt and I _will_ get you through this," Blaine murmured, reaching out and laying his hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"We promise," Kurt added, hoping more than anything that Blaine was right.

**A/N: So, finally, here it is! It certainly took me long enough….Anyway, thank you to anybody out there who is reading this! I've been getting a lot of hits and it makes me feel all warm and snuggly inside. You know what would make me even MORE warm and snuggly? If you would leave me a quick review! Just to let me know how I'm doing and if this thing is even worth continuing. Last thing—there shall be KLAINEBOWS in the future. Wheee**


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